Three thoughts on San Diego State’s 65-64 win at USD on Thursday in a game the Aztecs led by 10 with 6½ minutes left and nearly lost:

1. To foul or not to foul: Did you notice what SDSU coach Steve Fisher did both times after Xavier Thames made free throws in the closing seconds to push the lead to three? He called timeout, organized his defense and has his players foul.

San Diego State vs. University of San Diego Mens Basketball at Jenny Craig Arena on the campus of USD. JJ O'Brien moves through USD Jito Kok (33) and Chris Sarbaugh (5) in the second half.
— Sean M. Haffey

San Diego State vs. University of San Diego Mens Basketball at Jenny Craig Arena on the campus of USD. Winston Shepard watches as his shot goes in despite the defense of USD LtoR Jito Kok and Duda Sanadze
— Sean M. Haffey

San Diego State vs. University of San Diego Mens Basketball at Jenny Craig Arena on the campus of USD. Chris Sarbaugh dribbles up court as Matt Shrigley defends for SDSU in the first half.
— Sean M. Haffey

San Diego State vs. University of San Diego Mens Basketball at Jenny Craig Arena on the campus of USD. With the clock running out, USD Duda Sanadze pulls up for this shot to win the game but misses it.
— Sean M. Haffey

San Diego State vs. University of San Diego Mens Basketball at Jenny Craig Arena on the campus of USD. Christopher Anderson tips the ball away from Josh Davis of SDSU in the second half.
— Sean M. Haffey

San Diego State vs. University of San Diego Mens Basketball at Jenny Craig Arena on the campus of USD. USD Chris Sarbaugh (5) and Thomas Jacobs(15) try to stop JJ O'Brien of SDSU in the second half.
— Sean M. Haffey

San Diego State vs. University of San Diego Mens Basketball at Jenny Craig Arena on the campus of USD. SDSU Skylar Spencer and Josh Davis can't hold on to this loose ball during a rebound attempt in the second half.
— Sean M. Haffey

San Diego State vs. University of San Diego Mens Basketball at Jenny Craig Arena on the campus of USD. USD Forward Dennis Kramer works his way around Josh Davis and Skylar Spencer in the second half.
— Sean M. Haffey

.San Diego State vs. University of San Diego Mens Basketball at Jenny Craig Arena on the campus of USD. SDSU head coach Steve Fisher sets plays prior to the game between SDSU and USD. San Diego State went on to ...
— Sean M. Haffey

San Diego State vs. University of San Diego Mens Basketball at Jenny Craig Arena on the campus of USD. Christopher Anderson and Dennis Kramer try to shut down JJ O'Brien in first half action.
— Sean M. Haffey

San Diego State vs. University of San Diego Mens Basketball at Jenny Craig Arena on the campus of USD. Christopher Anderson and Dennis Kramer try to shut down JJ O'Brien in first half action.
— Sean M. Haffey

San Diego State vs. University of San Diego Mens Basketball at Jenny Craig Arena on the campus of USD. Christopher Anderson and Duda Sanadze defend against SDSU Skylar Spencer in the first half.
— Sean M. Haffey

It is a long-debated strategy in college basketball, up three late in a game. Do you intentionally foul, stop the clock and give the opposing team two free throws? Or do you keep the clock running but risk a 3-pointer that would tie it?

Fisher used to prefer the latter. But over the years, partly through statistics, partly through bad experiences when not fouling, he admitted he has changed his approach. Thursday was the first time we’ve seen it so emphatically.

“Now,” Fisher said, “my philosophy is to foul up three inside 10 seconds to go. We even work on it in practice.”

It requires two things to happen on your end: Make your free throws, and inbound the ball against full-court pressure under your opponent’s basket.

Things were working fine Thursday … until the officials decided that Thames wasn’t fouled with 3.2 seconds left as SDSU inbounded the ball up one (even though USD players were desperately trying to foul him and Thames was hit in the eye so hard that complained of double vision). Instead, they called a jump ball and USD had the possession arrow.

What would no doubt have been a major controversy was averted when USD’s Duda Sanadze missed an open 25-footer at the buzzer.

2. Athletic bigs: Another philosophy of Fisher and his staff is to recruit long, active, athletic bigs over the beefy lummox. And nowhere is that more apparent than when they play USD.

Two years ago in this game, the Aztecs trailed 14-2 and starting forward Tim Shelton had limped off injured. Fisher turned to his bench and inserted 6-foot-8 DeShawn Stephens, a junior college transfer who didn’t play in high school and was averaging 4.6 points while still adjusting to the Division I game.

The Aztecs would go on to win by 12. Stephens’ line: 16 points, nine rebounds.

On Thursday, it was Josh Davis and Skylar Spencer’s turn to terrorize the Toreros bigs. They combined for 22 points and 21 rebounds, or 18 and 16 more than USD’s starting bigs.

Davis was the most visible thorn in USD’s side. But consider that Spencer had scored two, zero, three, two, two and four points in his six games this year. The 12 points equaled his career-high, and it came on 6-of-7 shooting.

3. No rest for the weary: The Aztecs can exhale after their great escape from Jenny Craig Pavilion. For about 12 hours. Then it’s back to practice for yet another big game.

Washington is coming to Viejas Arena on Sunday for a noon game – SDSU’s fifth in a brutal 11-day stretch that likely will define its nonconference season. So far, so good. The Aztecs are 4-0. Beat Washington, and it’s clear sailing through the end of the year (the only remaining December opponents being Southern Utah, McNeese State and NAIA start-up St. Katherine College, all at Viejas).